June 2014 3-06: How important was Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in ending American isolationism? [24 marks]

Created by: mtgriffiths
Created on: 16-02-16 15:34


	How important was Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in ending American isolationism? [24 marks]
	Advantages The nature of the attack, particularly in view of its devastating impact and the lack of any clear warning or declaration of war by the Japanese left Roosevelt with little option, politically. Roosevelt knew that there would be popular support for a declaration of war by the USA. The USA influence in the Pacific was fundamentally compromised by the attack. This influence had to be restored. Japan, particularly, was seen as a threat to US interests and US policy. The threat was clear from Japan’s expansionism into China and the growing militarism and the threat this posed to the security of the Philippines. Moves to control Japan’s aggression had already been taken, e.g. freezing Japanese assets in the USA and closing the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping.	Disadvantages The US had already, since the outbreak of war in 1939, been involved in supporting Britain in its conflict with fascist leaders. Churchill was a persuasive leader and he had formed a strong and positive relationship with Roosevelt. Isolationism was under pressure before the attack on Pearl Harbour. There was a growing mood towards accepting that something had to be done. The war in Europe not only represented a threat to US trade, it also represented a strategic threat. Roosevelt saw the need to seriously consider entry into the war and he needed a politically safe way into that.
	Evaluation The attack on Pearl Harbour was a catalyst rather than merely an unexpected incident that the USA had no choice but to respond through by going to war, the intent of war may have already been evident.

How important was Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in ending American isolationism? [24 marks]

Advantages

The nature of the attack, particularly in view of its devastating impact and the lack of any clear warning or declaration of war by the Japanese left Roosevelt with little option, politically. Roosevelt knew that there would be popular support for a declaration of war by the USA.
The USA influence in the Pacific was fundamentally compromised by the attack. This influence had to be restored.
Japan, particularly, was seen as a threat to US interests and US policy. The threat was clear from Japan’s expansionism into China and the growing militarism and the threat this posed to the security of the Philippines. Moves to control Japan’s aggression had already been taken, e.g. freezing Japanese assets in the USA and closing the Panama Canal to Japanese shipping.

Disadvantages

The US had already, since the outbreak of war in 1939, been involved in supporting Britain in its conflict with fascist leaders. Churchill was a persuasive leader and he had formed a strong and positive relationship with Roosevelt.
Isolationism was under pressure before the attack on Pearl Harbour. There was a growing mood towards accepting that something had to be done.
The war in Europe not only represented a threat to US trade, it also represented a strategic threat. Roosevelt saw the need to seriously consider entry into the war and he needed a politically safe way into that.

Evaluation

The attack on Pearl Harbour was a catalyst rather than merely an unexpected incident that the USA had no choice but to respond through by going to war, the intent of war may have already been evident.

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June 2014 3-06: How important was Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in ending American isolationism? [24 marks]

How important was Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in ending American isolationism? [24 marks]

Advantages

Disadvantages

Evaluation

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